The brothers turned to face each other. Still on the floor, they were both confused. Confused and startled at the way their father just walked out of the room. No word. Without saying anything, without answering the question asked by Jaymes, Bob left the room. After a short period of silence, the brothers both stood up. Dressed in their pyjamas, they decided to go look for their father again. No one likes to be refused an answer. That's for sure. Jack opened the door and they can hear the television turned on downstairs. This meant that Bob's there. Therefore, they went towards their father, who was lying on the couch placed directly in front of the television in the living room. The living room of the Ruttons is like the public toilet in the petrol stations. Nobody really goes there unless they really, really, really, real..ly have to. With the exception of Bob, of course, who spends his night there before sleep. In this case however, Jaymes and Jack were there to ask for an answer. Noticing the footsteps, Bob sat up from lying down and sighed. He thought to himself, whether to tell, or not. As his two children came nearer to him, he came to a decision. "I know why you are here. Fine. I will tell you," he said and continued, "But... make sure you keep this from your mother. Promise?". "We will, dad", Jack replied. Jaymes added, "So, why?". Bob looked at his boys in the eyes. Put his left hand on Jaymes' left shoulder and right hand of Jack's right shoulder. He began with, "When I was your age... when I was a teenager like you two, way before I met your mother, I was molested by my own father. He told me a few weeks before he passed that it is a must for fathers to do so. Don't ask me why. I never did. I promised him before he died that I will, but only once".
Obviously disgusted and shocked by Bob's answer, the looks on the brothers' faces mirrored anger and confusion. They didn't know whether to believe it or rebuke it. "Then, why did you do it there in the hospital?" Jaymes asked. Before giving an answer, they all sat down on the couch. "Because I know that's the only time I could do it. I didn't like it and I never will. I promise you that is the last time. No more", Bob said. "Why me, dad? Why me?" Jack asked his father. His father answered and told that Jack seemed unconscious and alone in the hospital. Hence, no one will know. Furthermore, he's still young and gay. Angry and annoyed, Jack shook his head and ran upstairs to his room. Jaymes did not know what to say. The same for Bob. They both sat there in silence while the re-run of Desperate Housewives on television produced the noise. After a while, Jaymes decided to go to his room too. He got up and walked to his room slowly. He thought about the ridiculous tradition passed down by his grandfather and how his younger brother was the one to have to be suffer the memory of being molested by his own father. Bob was left alone in the living room. As usual. With a dull expression on his face, he decided to turn off the television and go to bed. He didn't know what else to think about. He felt sad and dejected. At the same time, he felt like he did the right thing because he promised his father.
The next morning, the whole family gathered at the dining hall for breakfast. Like every morning, Janna would prepare cereals with milk for the rest. If they are lucky, they would be served sausages and fried eggs. But not that day as the mother and wife did not cook any. Instead, she decided to just serve cereals. Everybody ate their own portion. No one talked. They didn't even look at each other. Janna realised the unusual atmosphere in a household that's more often loud than not. She wanted to say something but decided not to. Janna and Bob went off to work whereas Jaymes sent Jack to school. Jaymes then headed to university. On the way to university, he noticed a few men bullying a beggar at the alley. He thought thoroughly before deciding to go help. He parked his car at the pavement and walked towards the men. There were four of them there. Dressed in baggy trousers and large football jerseys, the men were throwing around the beggar's belongings. "Hey! Stop it!" he said to the four men. Without saying a word, the men charged towards him and started to beat him up. They kicked and punched him until he fell on the ground. The beggar couldn't help at all as he was weak and old. One man took an empty beer glass bottle on the ground and hit Jaymes in the head. The bottle broke and so did his head. Blood came streaming down his head as he lied on the floor, half-concious. The men walked away and left him there. As time went by, with nobody noticing, he kept losing blood.
